Liverpool Musician Walking to New Orleans

Joe Topping of Liverpool is walking from Chicago to New Orleans to raise awareness for NOMRF.org and New Orleans musicians. You can read
more about Joe at www.joetopping.co.uk Joe will arrive Oct 12 and NOmrf welcomes all to come help celebrate!

There will be a short second line procession along the river meeting behind Jax Brewery at 5pm. The welcome reception party will be held at the Wyndham Canal Place at 6pm. The New Wave Brass Band will play instruments donated by NOmrf in the spring when they played Barry Cowsill's memorial. Joe is wanting to spread the word about the good work being done by NOmrf and has undertaken an amazing task to do so.

Sponsors can donate to NOmrf on behalf of Joe Topping's walk at www.NOMRF.org. The New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund, a 501c(3) charity, has sent hundreds of grants to displaced New Orleans musicians wherever they are right now. Native New Orleans musician Jeff Beninato and his wife Karen founded NOmrf 2 days after the levees breached. They have made donations go further by paying no office rent and keeping two salaries very low. They also have no government or corporate ties and only one mission - helping New Orleans musicians. A silent auction will be held during the reception with proceeds going to NOmrf. “TheVoodoo Vixens” will host the auction tables and take bids on the items available.

Joannie Hughes-Lewis, co-chair of the welcome reception, will host an auction with art from Dennis Procopio, George Rodrigue and Chris Dwyer. Co-chairing the event is 10 year old Jacob Lewis, a brand new musician and 5th grade student who has contributed to the project with the auction and second-line procession planning as well as tracking the route of Joe Topping along the way. Jake is also asking for $11 donations to NOmrf for his 11th birthday in lieu of gifts, so the Fund added a link for him.